8913
by ghoulsteak
Summary: Boruko visits their best friend for a routine synchronisation test.


There's a synch test this afternoon! And a synch test means getting to hang out with Bacchan!

I mean, sure, I can talk to her in my head whenever I want, but that's not the same. It's more like an imaginary friend, and Bacchan is real. Like, really, really real. Forty meters of real.

Oh. Yeah. Bacchan is my Eva! Or, maybe I'm Bacchan's pilot. It doesn't really matter. Her real name is Bagameto, and her official title is _Evangelion Unit Sigma Mark II_, which is super badass but takes too long to say. She's been through a lot, even for an Eva unit, but she's still got a lot of fight left in her! A lot more fight than safety features, apparently, but that's okay. Me and Bacchan are best friends. She wouldn't ever hurt me.

As I'm wriggling into my plugsuit, I notice they've modified it again. The ceramic plating on the chestplate is thicker, and it feels like they added a couple more nodes to the lining. (It still has the hole in the thigh, but they covered it in fresh duct tape. They even got white tape for it this time. You ever seen white duct tape? I bet it's hard to find.) I activate the pressure seal and the suit suckers on with a *pchht*, as familiar and comforting as skin.

The limiter collar is a lot less comfortable (they still haven't made the cables longer! it's hard to turn my head like this!), but apparently it makes me less likely to dissolve into LCL, so no biggie.

I almost forget my a10 connectors (_again_), but pick them up in time and fit them on the elevator down to Cage 4. I tap my feet and flex my fingers and stretch my arms out as the elevator hums and rattles - I'm so excited! I wonder if Bagameto gets as fidgety as me? I wonder, just for once, she wants to head to the surface and run? She runs so fast, like a bullet train, like a whole entire rush hour rolled into one body. It's so cool. I wish they let her out for anything other than fighting, although I guess that's good exercise too - the elevator gate clangs open, and there she is!

"Hey, Bacchan!" I yell, waving my arm at her. She doesn't wave back, duh, but I feel her gigantic gaze on me under her helmet. I can't help but grin.

* * *

The entry plug rumbles as it settles into place. A long way away, I can hear the back of Bacchan's neck slamming shut and the engineers shouting to each other, and then sound from the outside world fades as the plug enters its boot sequence. The rippling triple rainbow (I think one of the technicians said it does that to check the display?) spins past and away. The dim deep-water blue of the test environment takes its place. I hum to myself, contentment spreading through my chest.

I take my hands off the controls and lean back in my seat, feeling the weight and size of Bacchan's form below and around me. She's so cool, so strong. I'm lucky I get to be her friend.

"Beginning synchronisation test," says the Doctor through the comms. Whoops. I almost forgot.

"Okay!" I reply. I close my eyes and exhale bubbles. I measure my breathing until my heart rate drops, like the Doctor taught me to.

I drift through the LCL, deeper, deeper. She's here, somewhere in the echo, in the weave of signals and feelings. I just need to reach out for her, and she'll take my hand. Machine sounds and vessels pumping thrum through the waters. Deep pulses that I feel in my bones rather than in my ears.

Her heartbeat slows and beats in tune with mine.

From far away, way back up at the surface, I can sorta make out the Doctor's voice. _Good work, Boruko. 89.13%. A marked improvement. _It sounds like he's the one who's underwater.

"Hear that, Bacchan? They're proud of us." Bacchan doesn't say anything. She's not much of a talker, but that's okay.

As we drift, I tell her about my week, about the new boy I made friends with and the crack in my ribs. I tell her how warm the weather's been and how loud the cicadas are. Akira got mad when he found out I borrowed his uniform, which was fair enough since I got blood all over the shirt. Tsubasa helped me with my homework again (I can't believe how _pretty _she is!). Bacchan listens. Like always.

Eventually, the Doctor calls me back up. I don't want to leave, but I guess it won't be long until the next sync test.

"Wait for me, okay?"


End file.
